June 8 2025

Our camp is Christ-centered in every expression of its mission “to glorify God”. This has always been the way we “do camp” and it has been our privlege to continue this work for generations. Dr. Sevier was a minister who, at the pinnacle of his career, resigned his nationally recognized leadership in the Presbyterian church to start a girls camp. He did this because he sensed the powerful impact of a Christ-centered camp experience could have on a young life. Camp was his calling, and that is how we feel today.

I may not have my great-grandfather’s vision (starting a camp is way beyond my capabilities), but I share his mission, and the next generation is committed to this same mission. If you haven’t seen it, I would encourage you to check out our video on what it means to be a Christ-centered camp. It reflects the heart of what we do… love Jesus, honor God, and have fun. Sundays are a nice mix of these priorities.

Our Sunday schedule starts with Stumblers (our Sunday morning running club) at 8:30, a leisurely buffet breakfast from 9:00-10:15, a “white glove” inspection of every cabin, 11:30 worship in the FORT, a big Sunday “dinner,” long Rest Hour, free time with lots of activities (including a mini-talent show), an evening picnic, and a relaxed movie night EP. This first week has been incredible… But today, we take a break to reflect and give thanks to God. We love our traditional Sunday routine, which has been updated over the years.

You should know about the River Trail. A 1.5-mile loop in one of the most beautiful settings imaginable. Features include:

Farm Barn: Is our entrance to the trail. We walk between paddocks of cows, sheep, goats, pigs, rabbits, horses, a donkey, a tortoise, and lots of chickens.
Hidden Lake: forms the center of the trail loop. This lake is only partially visible from our front campus. This area teems with wildlife, with the Bald Eagle being the star, having claimed the lake as its territory. Also of note are the otters, beavers, snapping turtles, blue herons, wood ducks, mallards, and Canadian geese.
Camp: The trail follows the western shore of Lake Edith, providing an unobstructed view of the entire camp from across the lake as we exit the Farm Barn. Very few campers have ever seen this view before, and it is a wonderful aspect of the new trail.
Green River: This Class 2 trout stream is the water source for Lake Summit, and the trail follows it all the way to the back pastures. It is a beautiful river, very deep and flowing steadily next to the hidden lake and the back pastures. River Otters, beavers, and lots of birds are seen along the shore.
Outback Pastures: are a series of pastures that occupy the high ground next to the hidden lake. The trail follows these pastures back to the Farm Barn on the backside. The views are amazing, very different from any other place in camp.

By the time we complete two 1.5-mile laps, we feel lucky to be here. Such a beautiful world, such wonderful people, and such a wonderful place… it is a great way to start the day!

At 11:30, we enjoy church together. There is something special about having a traditional church service at camp. Our community is very tightly connected, and we already have a sense of our unique strengths as a group. The Holy Spirit always uses camp to heal and encourage the group… This is why worship time at camp is particularly powerful. Mac Holt, an RUF minister from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, is our camp minister this session. His devotions can be heard by clicking his name above; they are fantastic. Mac is beloved for his love of jokes (campers tell him jokes every day and he features the best one at morning assembly), his wonderful family, and his selfless service (sweeping the dining hall with the staff after every meal). Camp sermons are excellent, good to know if you happen to be a “sermon fanatic” like me!

We ran stumblers in a light rain this morning, but it was just a drizzle that stopped after 30 minutes. The clouds are lifting and the sun will come out this afternoon, making for a perfect day of fun. We will post the photos and print the emails that come in today tomorrow morning. We hope you enjoy this day of rest!

Thank you for checking in. Your support and prayers are MOST APPRECIATED!